This invention is directed to a portable hand held air powered tool having combined therein nut running and crimping mechanism, whereby a work nut is caused in one stage of operation of the tool to be run down to a predetermined degree of tightness about a threaded stud, and in a second stage of operation the nut is caused to be crimped into locking relation with the stud.
A tool of this general nature is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,837 in which a nut receiving socket assembly is mounted externally of the main housing of the tool upon a projecting motor driven spindle for run down of a work nut in a first stage of operation; and within the assembly a piston powered cam is actuable in a second stage of operation relative to a group of levers to effect a crimping action upon the work nut.
A fault of this external rotatable socket arrangement is that it may prove hazardous and unsafe, in that a finger of the operator's hand may accidentally become pinched between the main housing of the tool and the rotating socket assembly. Similarly, there is the possibility of a piece of the operator's clothing or other loose element becoming caught and tangled in the rotating socket assembly.
Another apparent fault of this known tool lies in the threaded relationship of the rotatable socket assembly to the projecting spindle. This would be subject to considerable reaction torque forces during the final stage of a nut tightening operation which might strip the threading or otherwise damage the tool.
Accordingly, a general object of this invention is to provide an improved hand held air powered tool having combined nut running and crimping mechanism which avoids the faults of the known tool referred to.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a hand held portable tool comprising a housing, a group of levers supported in the housing, the levers having a normal position in hexagonal array defining a hexagonal opening adapted to slidably receive a hexagonal work nut, the levers being adapted for rotation to carry the received nut around with them, the levers also being pivotable from the normal position inwardly of the opening to effect a crimping action upon the side faces of the received nut, a cam member having rotatable and axial movement in the housing, means for transmitting rotation of the cam member to the levers, means for translating the axial movement of the cam member into pivotable movement of the levers, air motor means for transmitting rotation to the cam member, air powered piston means for imparting axial movement to the cam member, and control means selectively operable for causing application of operating air to either the motor means or to the piston means.